Entries this day: catch-my-morning-connection first-darshan-from-amma

catch my morning connection

##09:39 Monday 28 May 2012

Sweet! I stepped barefootedly onto the Tokaido line and saw Michael Q Todd standing right there! https://xeeme.com/michaelqtodd

He's just back from 14 months on The Gold Coast of OZ, and will be finishing his new book soon after doing a speaking tour overseas.

We were both headed to Shinagawa, and I detected some free time in his schedule so suggested he get a hug from AMMA, right across the street from the station.

He said he wasn't surprised at all the synchronicities; I'm reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, one of the three books Michael owns: "there's a big shift in consciousness that's been accelerating in the past few months."

He gave me the idea of Abundance Marketing: do what you love and promote all the people close to your niche who have good products.

first darshan from amma

##07:56 Monday 28 May 2012

My friend Jon "What's Missing Here" W first told me about Amma; he had gone to hug her when she visited Tokyo a few years ago. I had seen the posters, but ignored it as inconsequential to my life.

Amma is a spiritual master who gives darshan through hugging. And when Paola told us a few weeks ago that she'd be here again (turns out she's in Tokyo every year), I was like, "I'm there, dude," even though I wasn't yet there and Paola isn't a dude.

Lin and I arrived early; about 15 people were in line in front of us. The lines were a bit mixed upon entry, though, and we were in group C2 for receiving darshan. Our seats were near front and quite center; we got to see what was going on with the hugs for a good while before we got our chance.

The attendant asked, "which language?" and I said English as she said, "English?" and I said yes.

It was a bit like a hug factory; she was sitting on a short pedastal at the front of the room, and people knealt to be at the right hugging level. To make sure I was at the right level, the attendants were like, "bend at the waist; not so much; head here" and I was hearing Amma saying in my ear "どうしたの、どうしたの？" which I might translate as "what happened?" asked of a small kid who comes home upset.

The attendant said, "English," and Amma said, "どうしたの、どうしたの、どうしたの、どうしたの、どうしたの、どうしたの？"

I was a bit caught between bliss and wondering why a great master couldn't detect my language, much less switch when English was specified; seems like she was a bit busy.

After I was hugged, Lin was hugged and I was added to their hug from behind. Then the attendants were like, [aight stand up] in Japanese and we were ushered to the left where we could sit for a bit near Amma as she hugged others.

I felt calm, happy, content, despite the language used. Our time to sit near Amma ended as the hug factory continued and we went out to find Paola and Jon (and Jess, Mitch, & Laura, new yoga students who had come with them).

They had arrived at 9:45, whereas we were there at 9:15 in the morning. They had time to get an early lunch while waiting for their turn to be hugged.

I told them of my experience, including the language thing. Mitch agreed with my translation when Jess asked what it meant.

They went to be hugged and we got lunch.

Joining us at our table were husband,wife,+20 year old son, all of whom have been devotees of Amma for 20+ years, since the day after they knew they were pregnant. The son, though 20 years old in university in the US, is quite spiritually advanced; he was helping to staff this weekend. Including today Monday and tomorrow Tuesday; (you still have a chance to go quite soon if you're in Tokyo).

I asked them for suggestions on beginner spirituality books in Japanese and they suggested some, two of which I bought for Lin, and one I bought for myself in English. For myself, I bought _Awaken Children! part 1_, subtitled _Dialgues With The Holy Mother MATA AMRITANANDAMAYI_ for 1000 yen.

The first topic is about GOD, asked by students in August 1976:

Student: It is said that there is a God, but I am unable to believe that.

Mother: Children, to say that there is no God is like saying with your own tongue, "I have no tongue."

And so it continues with her straight to the point answers. Another one I liked:

Student: Why does God require money [in the form of offerings at temples]?

Mother: God does not require anything of us. ... God is like the sun. ... It is like holding a burning candle in the daytime and saying, "Oh Sun God, here is light for You so You can see the path clearly"

After buying the books, I arrived back just as Jon, Jess, Mitch, and Laura had received darshan. Jess said she was really glad she had heard my description; otherwise she would have wondered what Amma was saying in her ear!

Well, maybe there is some grace at work here. ;-)